User:Jstapko/EngLab/Drill Press

Introduction
A drill press is used for drilling holes or circular cutouts in a variety of materials. The user can select the drill bit, speed, and platform orientation. A rotating lever is used to move the drill bit axially downward and into/through the work piece.

Warnings

 * You must wear goggles when operating this machine!!
 * You must NOT wear gloves or loose clothing.
 * Keep fingers at least 3" from rotating parts when running. Do not attempt to remove chips by hand.
 * Remove or secure jewelry, loose clothing, ties, etc. prior to use.
 * Tie long hair back securely to prevent it from getting caught in the spindle
 * Always focus completely on your work!. Do not talk to others, or let others talk to you.
 * Clamp your work securely to the drill press table. Don't try to hold it with your hand, pliers, etc.
 * Center punch your work to prevent the drill tip from wobbling around when starting. Wobble at startup bends the drill bit and can cause it to break.
 * Use only sharp drill bits. A dull edge increases the torque on the drill bit, which can cause it to break, sending sharp parts everywhere.
 * Make sure the drill press chuck is tightened before starting
 * Put a piece of scrap wood under your work piece to prevent the drill from drilling the table.

Watch this humorous, but serious video to see some consequences of not following this section.

Quick Start Guide

 * 1) Select the proper size and type of drill bit (see below for details). Improper drill bits for a job can damage the drill, the work, and cause injuries. Inspect drill bits for damage and wear before using them.  Do not use damaged or dull drill bits.
 * 2) Load the drill bit into the chuck.
 * 3) Tighten the chuck as much as you can by hand. Be sure that the drill bit is centered between all three jaws, not offset and held by just two.  To confirm this, tighten the chuck on the drill bit, then by hand, turn the chuck and look at the point of the drill.  The center should stay directly over the spot you wish to drill while turning, not move in a circle around it.
 * 4) If cutting deep holes, many holes, or using exotic materials, confirm that the speed setting is appropriate for your work. See below for details.  For most jobs, the default speed is fine.
 * 5) Punch a mark at the location of the desired hole to help align the drill bit (add citation)
 * 6) Put a piece of scrap wood underneath the work to be drilled. This protects the drill press table and helps to prevent tearout.
 * 7) Clamp your work securely to the table, for hands free drilling. Tools for doing so include C clamps, vises, vise grips, and pieces of wood that can be bolted to the work surface through the [T slots].
 * 8) Adjust the table position so that either the center hole or one of the slots is directly below the drill bit. DO NOT drill the table! Tighten the lever to fix the table position.
 * 9) Use the knob to lower the drill bit until it makes contact with the work piece to confirm proper alignment. If needed, make adjustments until the bit is aligned with the desired hole location.
 * 10) Flip the black switch to turn on the drill press. The bit should start spinning.
 * 11) Do not hold the work piece with your hand, even with intermediate tools such as pliers. For an explanation of the reasons behind this, see one user's failure analysis.
 * 12) Use the knob to lower the bit into/through the work piece.
 * 13) Turn off the drill press, unclamp the work piece, and put away the drill bit in the proper location.
 * 14) Leave the work area cleaner than you found it for the next user.

Detailed Information
Learn what you can about your machine before attempting to use it. You could start by reading the manual for a very similar drill press.

Types of Drill Bits
Drill bits come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and materials. Resources available in the HCC lab include (for metal), spade bits(for wood), and masonry bits(for stone/brick/concrete). For additional information on selecting drill bits, see links (insert numbers) below (link to ext. links section of this page)

Preparing Your Work

 * If the work is big enough to hit the column when turned all the way around, clamp it with the big part against the left side of the column [like this] (add a link to an image showing proper clamping) so that it won't turn even if the drill catches.
 * Inspect drill bits for damage and wear before using them. Do not use damaged or dull drill bits.

Using the Correct Spindle Speed

 * For most jobs, the default speed (2340 RPM) can be used.
 * When drilling many holes, large holes, or holes in hard metals (e.g. steel), consult this table:
 * When using other types of drill bits, consult this comprehensive table for guidance.
 * Use the minimum spindle speed that is suited to the job. Doing so will reduce the energy in flying parts, such as broken drill bits or chips.  It will also reduce wear and tear on the drill bit. (find a citation for this.  Might want to make it shorter.)
 * Request assistance from a professor or lab aide if you need the speed changed.

Running the Machine

 * If the drill catches and either turns or lifts the part, do not panic; With the operating lever, keep the spindle in the down position while turning off the power switch.  This keeps the part from falling off the drill bit and being thrown across the room.
 * When drilling deep holes, frequently raise the bit to clear shaving and prevent heat build-up.
 * When cutting steel 1/8" or thicker, lubricate bit with cutting oil.

Videos

 * Drill Press Safety - Tech Ed Learning
 * Drill Press Safety - Sandon's Workshop lots of safety violations in this one, might be good example for the quiz
 * Intro to Drill Presses - Kenneth Finnegan Excellent video, very good discussion of drill bit types, including countersinking, hole saws, really small drills, etc. Might be a good intro to drill bit types.
 * how to use a drill press - WoodWorkWeb
 * How To Use the Drill Press - CasimirSTEM
 * Drill Press Safety and Demonstration - Seth Ponder
 * Drill safety and operation - Tooldad's Workshop
 * Part 1part 2part 3


 * Colum Drill Press Safety - Chris McGowan
 * Drill Press Safety Demonstration - HCE129
 * Woodshop Safety: Drill Press - MarkvilleTech
 * DT Safety The Drill Press - DesignNTech
 * Power Tools & Carpentry Skills : Drill Press Safety Rules - expertvillage

Quiz
 Quiz  Take this after reading the wiki.